- Fires are ravaging the Los Angeles area, spreading rapidly due to dry and windy conditions.
- The fires have burned over 40,000 hectares. Officials report that at least 16 people have died.
- Analysts estimate that the damage caused by the fires could reach 50 billion dollars, breaking previous state records.
Across Los Angeles, a series of wildfires fanned by powerful Santa Ana winds have flattened homes in the area for nearly a week, leaving a record trail of destruction in their wake.
The largest of the fires, which has engulfed the affluent Pacific Palisades enclave, is only 11% contained as of Sunday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). It is moving toward the densely populated neighborhood of Encino in the San Fernando Valley. About 30 miles to the northeast, the Eaton fire, now 27% contained, is threatening the town of Altadena.
Over 40,000 acres have burned in four separate fires, and the LA County Medical Examiner has reported 16 fire-related deaths so far.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday that the wildfires are likely to be the worst natural disaster in US history, noting that the death toll is expected to rise.
“I think it’s just going to be in terms of the costs associated with it, in terms of scale and scope,” Newsom told NBC’s Meet the Press. “I got search and rescue teams out. We got cadaver dogs out. And there’s likely to be a lot more.”
Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said during a news conference Sunday morning that more than 100,000 residents near the Palisades and Eaton fires are now under evacuation orders, and authorities have told another 87,000 to be ready to leave at any time.
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning early Sunday morning, which will remain in effect until Sunday afternoon. The warning affects upland areas near the Hurst and Eaton fires.
The National Weather Service issued a high wind watch for the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area from Monday evening until Wednesday afternoon. It affects mountainous areas near the Kenneth and Palisades fires.
A representative for electric utility Southern California Edison said Saturday afternoon that more than 50,000 homes were without power.
Local water districts have also issued multiple water advisories, warning residents not to drink or use water that may be contaminated with debris from the fire. Air pollution levels also remained high in many parts of the city.
Aerial helicopter view of the Palisades Fire burning near Mountain Gate Country Club with Brentwood and Palisades Pacific visible in the background on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Amid the chaos, residents have also faced opportunistic looters stealing vacant properties, inaccurate evacuation orders mistakenly sent through the county’s emergency alert system and the rapid spread of misinformation online about evacuation zones and fire causes.
Analysts at JPMorgan have estimated that the fires raging in the region could lead to about $50 billion in total economic losses – including over $20 billion in insured lossesBusiness Insider previously reported. If the estimates turn out to be correct, the damage caused by the current fires would be significantly worse than that of 2018. Campfires, which accumulated $10 billion in insured losses.
The state has, in recent years, been subject to a mass exodus of large insurers, including State Farm. The company announced in 2023 that it would stop accepting new home insurance policies in California, citing catastrophe risks.
The Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica has burned more than 23,700 acres and is 11% contained as of Sunday morning, according to Cal Fire.
The cause of the fire, which started Tuesday morning, is still under investigation.
Over 5,000 structures were damaged or destroyed. Officials have confirmed that more than 420 homes in Malibu and Pacific Palisades have burned.
A house burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 8, 2025. AGUSTIN PAULLIER/AFP/Getty Images
The wealthy enclave is home to many celebrities who have now lost their homes, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal and Milo Ventimiglia.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has so far reported five deaths related to the Palisades fire.
Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire, which has been burning the Pasadena-Altadena area since it started Tuesday, has now burned more than 14,100 acres, according to Cal Fire. The fire is 27% contained.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said more than 7,000 structures were damaged or destroyed during a news conference Sunday morning.
Firefighters battle the Eaton Fire in strong winds as multiple homes burn on January 7, 2025, in Pasadena, California David McNew/Getty Images
Eleven deaths so far have been attributed to the Eaton fire, according to a report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Other fires
As the Palisades and Eaton fires have grown to the largest in size, other smaller fires have been reported across the region.
The Hurst Fire, affecting the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, started late Tuesday night and has spread to about 800 hectares. According to Cal Fire, it is 89% contained. The evacuation order for the area was lifted Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Thursday.
The Kenneth Fire, now 100% contained, has burned just over 1,050 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties since it started Thursday, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation orders related to the flames have been lifted.
Further, the Lydia fire broke out Wednesday in the Angeles National Forest and burned 395 acres in three days before being 100% contained, Cal Fire reported.